Results 1 to 11 of 11

Thread: Stiltie in golden sunset

  1. #1
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Montreal, Quebec
    Posts
    216
    Threads
    83
    Thank You Posts

    Default Stiltie in golden sunset

    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    It's no secret around these parts that a very tame stilt sandpiper has been hanging around the local shorebird spot. Oddly enough, he's made a friend with one of the resident lesser yellowlegs, and apart from feeding and resting together, if the yellowlegs flies off somewhere else, the sandpiper always follows him. Ergo, you get a decent number of photobombs from the second bird, but if you manage to herd him away in hopes of getting a better shot, the stilt will just follow along to wherever you've sent the yellowlegs off to. Has anyone seen this behaviour before?

    This is one of the few times I managed to get the stilt sandpiper on his own in a nice portrait pose. The water is the Châteauguay river, which drains into the St. Lawrence about 15 miles downstream. Please let me know if the head and eye are to your liking viz. detail and sharpness.

    5D mkIV, 500mm f/4 IS, 1.4x TC III, tripod mounted
    1/1300 @ f/6.3, ISO 400
    DPP/PS

    Thanks,
    Jake

    Edited to put up a better image file
    Last edited by Jake Levin; 09-10-2018 at 04:19 PM.

  2. #2
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Location
    Ithaca, NY
    Posts
    10,421
    Threads
    1,708
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Very nice. That is some sweet light. The bird really pops with the darker water behind him.

  3. Thanks Jake Levin thanked for this post
  4. #3
    Super Moderator Daniel Cadieux's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Ottawa, Canada
    Posts
    26,311
    Threads
    3,979
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    The one and only time I photographed a Stilt Sandpiper (my favorite species of shorebird BTW) it was associating with a Lesser Yellowlegs and behaving the way you describe here. Great for side-by-side comparison images. Nice light, and I texture on the water surface. I also like the dark BG.

  5. Thanks Jake Levin thanked for this post
  6. #4
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Stoney Point, Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    6,868
    Threads
    512
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    I like the pose, composition and agree that the bird stands out nicely from the BG. Nice image Jake.

  7. Thanks Jake Levin thanked for this post
  8. #5
    Publisher Arthur Morris's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Indian Lake Estates, FL
    Posts
    32,557
    Threads
    1,438
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Very nice as noted above. Noe that there are two incoming first winter scapulars, the grey feathers just below the rusty-fringed feathers. As with Dunlin, it is more than rare to see a young stilt without any first-winter feathers coming in.

    with love, arite
    BIRDS AS ART Blog: great info and lessons, lots of images with our legendary BAA educational Captions; we will not sell you junk. 30+ years of long lens experience/e-mail with gear questions.

    BIRDS AS ART Online Store: we will not sell you junk. 35 years of long lens experience. Please e-mail with gear questions.

    Check out the new SONY e-Guide and videos that I did with Patrick Sparkman here. Ten percent discount for BPN members,

    E-mail me at samandmayasgrandpa@att.net.










  9. Thanks Jake Levin thanked for this post
  10. #6
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Location
    Eagle Mountain, Utah
    Posts
    2,709
    Threads
    475
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Very Nice Image. Beautifully Captured.

    I do feel that horizon may be slightly tilted (ever so slightly).

    Thanks for sharing.

  11. Thanks Jake Levin thanked for this post
  12. #7
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    San Mateo, CA
    Posts
    3,643
    Threads
    398
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Really pops on that blue background, well done! I am very envious as this is one of only 2-3 North American shorebirds that I am missing in my collection.
    I've seen hundreds while birding but never well enough to capture.

  13. Thanks Jake Levin thanked for this post
  14. #8
    BPN Member Bill Dix's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Princeton, NJ
    Posts
    12,487
    Threads
    1,892
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    A species on my wish list too. Very nicely captured against the dark BG; nice water texture and good pose. Based on the plane of focus in the water, I would agree that a slight CW rotation would help, but no big deal. Did you get any side-by-side shots with the Stiltie and the Yellow-legs? That could make a very useful field guide.

  15. Thanks Jake Levin thanked for this post
  16. #9
    Forum Participant
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Montreal, Quebec
    Posts
    216
    Threads
    83
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Attached Images Attached Images
     
    I did a bit of leveling as some have suggested. Thoughts? I think the sandpiper is in fact standing on a bit of flat river bottom (if you look at his feet and the water around them), and the water to his right is sloping down due to the natural course of the river. In any case, I put in a bit of CW rotation to see how it looks. Trying to strike a balance between the water on the right hand side and not having the bird tipped over. Appreciate your thoughts as always.
    Last edited by Jake Levin; 09-11-2018 at 01:07 PM.

  17. #10
    BPN Member William Dickson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Fife, Scotland
    Posts
    7,883
    Threads
    1,115
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    Well captured, I really like the pose. Lovely feather detail, and light.

    Will

  18. Thanks Jake Levin thanked for this post
  19. #11
    Publisher Arthur Morris's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Indian Lake Estates, FL
    Posts
    32,557
    Threads
    1,438
    Thank You Posts

    Default

    I'm fine with both horizons :) Hey, what horizons???
    artie
    BIRDS AS ART Blog: great info and lessons, lots of images with our legendary BAA educational Captions; we will not sell you junk. 30+ years of long lens experience/e-mail with gear questions.

    BIRDS AS ART Online Store: we will not sell you junk. 35 years of long lens experience. Please e-mail with gear questions.

    Check out the new SONY e-Guide and videos that I did with Patrick Sparkman here. Ten percent discount for BPN members,

    E-mail me at samandmayasgrandpa@att.net.










Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Web Analytics